Domestic water systems are conventionally provided with water under approximately 70 pounds per square inch pressure and some portions of domestic water systems, disposed at low elevations, are supplied with water under pressure as high as 100 pounds per square inch. This reasonably high pressure delivery of water to domestic water systems is required in order that sufficient water pressure may be maintained at higher elevation portions of the system, but most domestic water users do not require the delivery of water at pressures approaching 70 to 100 pounds per square inch, with the possible exception of automatic water using appliances. However, automatic water using appliances may be modified to operate efficiently under considerably less water pressure.
In addition, there is presently great concern in this country for the conservation of energy and one means of reducing domestic energy consumption would be to find an economical and efficient way to utilize the excess pressure of water supplied to domestic water systems.
Various means of generating power from the pressure of domestic water systems have been heretofore provided and examples of such previously known structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 344,344, 1,774,603, 1,982,315, 2,097,166 and 2,436,683.